water in oil help!

peelaa

Bought a Zafira 2.2 about 6 months ago, quite happy with car but seemed to be using alot of oil e.g 1litre every 1000 miles. We first noticed the oil was low after a few second rattle on starting the car.

More recently the car has been using water and we have been topping up for a couple of months,we first noticed this when the car started to overheat slightly. Just noticed that the water has managed to get into the oil. There is sludge on the dip stick and its kind of a creamy brown colour.

Could anybody please tell us what may have caused this?

Thanks.

JohnnyN

Welcome to the site. This is possibly a head gasket failure. What does the water in the header tank look like? Are there any signs of oil in there?

peelaa

Hi thanks for the reply

There is no sign of oil in the water tank, jus noticed some white smoke on starting and reving the engine.

JohnnyN

That does sound like the head gasket then. Sometimes the water becomes contaminated too causing an oily residue in the header tank.

Is this white smoke there all the time even when the engine is hot?

peelaa

not too sure only just noticed it and dont really fancy driving it until its repaired! next stop ... garage!!

how much do you think it may cost? what kind of tests will they do? how do i know if its a cracked head or not? The engine seems to be as normal on starting it up.

JohnnyN

A compression test will be a good start. If you remove the header tank cap, can you smell a petrol fume smell?

peelaa

hi, theres no smell of petrol fumes when the engine is or isnt started? is this a good sign??

JohnnyN

I've just googled this?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 956AAgxS1A

BURT150

Another test you could do is for combustable material in the coolant this will tell you if the head gasket is gone or crack in the head:

http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/Combustion ... ley-VS0061

peelaa

thanks for the replies. Will let you know how i get on. We are going to have to take it to a garage some time next week as we regulary use this to get from A2B and have many children!

thanx for your time.

peelaa

Update and a bit of a dilemma. A friend of mine has taken on the job and has removed the head. Upon first inspection the gasket looked ok and so he had his suspicions that the head may be cracked. He has taken it to be pressure tested and to our surprise the head is ok and so i have told him to go ahead with getting it skimmed the valve stem oil seals fitted. Now to the dilemma. Was this just the gasket and we couldnt see the damage and so we go ahead and put the head back on along with the new timing chain kit(£100) and do piston rings(£100) as it was using oil before all this and risk that there may be a crack in the block. Or do we return the timing chain kit and sell the head (skimmed and pressure tested) and buy a complete engine (seen one that apparently has only done 36000 miles for £675)? All opinions welcome... notsure.gif :wtf: :cry:

peelaa

Hi again,
Big problem, head has been pressure tested, no crack in the head, head gasket been changed etc, and water was low this morning after about 3 days after being fixed also the oil has got a bit of water in it so far from that we can see! We dont know how long it takes to see water in the oil after changing? what else could this be? desperate for any other advice!! is this a crack in the block?????????????? 🙁

vocky

could it be the head only leaks when hot dunno..

I have to say you are in a difficult position, do you replace the head, replace the block, fit another engine :crazy:

the number one reason for coolant mixing with the engine oil on the z22se engine is a cracked head :thumbdown:

number two is a split oil cooler - vx220 only 🙁

I seem to recall there once was a cracked block notsure.gif

peelaa

vocky said:
could it be the head only leaks when hot dunno..

Is this a possibility? Has anybody ever heard of this? After spending the money on it i intended to use this head on a different engine. Never mind the head on the engine being cracked, i think my head is gonna crack!!! :roll: :shock: :-? :wtf: :wtf: ............ puke..

peelaa

Thanks for all the input, car is fine now. The water in the oil must have just been there from when the gasket went but has cleared up now and as for the water disapearing we have found it under the carpet :o . rubber O rings on the heater matrix were leaking so replaced them and dried the car. Couldnt believe how much water there was, the car was like a mobile swimming pool!!!
Thanx cheers..